By Alex Gahima
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has pledged to support the host communities in Kisoro district, as part of its strategy to appreciate the people of Kisoro for hosting the Congolese Asylum seekers since the 28th of March this year.
According to the office of the Kisoro Resident District Commissioner (RDC), a total of 60,000 people from the Democratic Republic of Congo have been living in Kisoro district seeking refuge, following Political instability back in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
More than 20,000 Congolese, at one point lived among the host communities of Bunagana, Nyarubuye, Muramba and Nyakabande Sub counties, despite Government efforts to have all of them re-located to the transit and holding camp in Nyakabande Sub County.
Six months down the road, the holding camp is now slowly but steadily being scaled down, with majority of the Congolese returning back home while others have voluntarily agreed to be re-located to settlement camps, further inland.
These Settlement camps include Kyaka and Nakivale in Kyegegwa and Isingiro districts respectively.
As part of their efforts to support host Communities in Kisoro district, UNHCR has set out to construct a number of permanent facilities aimed at improving the quality of life among the host communities.
These include construction of an in-patient ward at the Nyakabande HC II, in Nyakabande Sub County, Construction of a three classroom block at Bunagana Primary School, Pit latrines at Bunagana Primary School and Bunagana HC II.
The United Nations Agency, mandated to aid and protect refugees has also pledged to support host communities in Bunagana with 80 bags of Irish potato seed for planting, to be distributed to the most at risk households.
JUSTIFICATION
Back in March, this year when the war first broke out between the Congolese Government forces and rebel group M23, hundreds of Congolese crossed over into Uganda, via Bunagana border.
As rescue efforts were being mobilized by district authorities, office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and other partners, communities close to the border with DR.Congo were quick to open their homes and schools to fleeing Congolese brothers and sisters.
Days quickly turned into weeks and weeks into months, and the situation across the host communities soon became unbearable.
https://vomuhabura.com/bunagana-primary-closed-off-as-refugees-take-over-school/
Much aware of what was going on, the Government of Uganda, continued to sensitize the asylum seekers to make use of the holding camp in Nyakabande and relieve host communities of the burden.
The refugee act of 2006, states that, no refugee, asylum seeker is allowed to remain within 50Kms of the border of a country they are purportedly fleeing from.
Host communities through their elected leaders and Government representatives continued to lobby for support, in the areas of sanitation, food and security.
https://vomuhabura.com/looming-crisis-in-bunagana-as-fleeing-congolese-hit-10000/
Kisoro district LCV chairperson Abel Bizimana used his influence to stage, some of his grandest performances.
He demanded that Kisoro district be given a special status for hosting Refugees despite being only, a transit district.
Bizimana, never once minced his words when he criticized regional authorities on security and development for not doing enough to resolve the security crisis in Eastern DRC.
In September this year, Security forces decided to forcefully evict the Congolese Asylum seekers from the host community of Kibaya in Bunagana, after six months of entreating them.
A diplomatic act that so often fell on deaf ears.
Communities’ Speak out
Robert Maniragaba, the Kanyabukungu LCI chairperson, home to the Nyakabande Transit camp, says he is well pleased with the news from UNHCR.
Maniragaba says the Sub County offices, especially the office of the LC III chairperson was renovated, thanks to UNHCR.
He explains that despite the good will gesture from UNHCR, it is best that the Congolese either return to their home country or move to the settlement camps because they have become a menace to the communities.
“They steal anything that grows in the garden, from Matooke, Irish potatoes and yams. They spared none and now we have families that are going to go hungry because of lack of food, Maniragaba said
Senior Clinical Officer and In- Charge of Nyakabande HC II Micheal Mbonye says the news of an in-patient department is well received and is such an encouragement to the communities of Nyakabande.
Mbonye admits that the last six months have been overwhelming and recognizes the support rendered by Medical Teams International (MTI) which has ensured that medicines and other vital necessities are always available.
Mbonye explains that construction of the in-patient ward will commence in December this year and is expected to be completed early next year.
He however calls on the Government to recognize the need to increase funding for the health facility under the Primary Health Care (PHC) Non- Wage Recurrent Grant as well as recruitment of more medical staff at the health center.
“It is vital that we prepare adequately enough to receive this new development from UNHCR because once they hand it over to Government and we are unable to manage it, it will be such a waste, both to the people of Kisoro and the Government of Uganda, Mbonye stressed.
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